Volunteer ODs help America’s veterans

Continuing a mission of giving back to those who have already given so much, volunteer optometrists partnered with the AOA to help preserve and protect the sight of America's veterans.

With a backdrop of the 116th Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Convention, July 18-22, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, more than a dozen volunteers from the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) and AOA joined together to provide no-cost eye health and vision assessments to our nation's heroes.

The 12th consecutive year of AOA participation in the VFW Health Fair offered doctors the opportunity to identify veterans who might be at risk for vision problems, and educate them about the importance and need for routine eye care. More than a hundred assessments were administered, each including a visual acuity test, direct ophthalmoscopy and slit lamp review, tonometry and an exit interview.

As veterans' eye and vision health remains an important issue, the AOA plans to continue participation in the VFW Health Fair when the convention is hosted in Charlotte, North Carolina, July 23-27, 2016.

Edward Savarno, O.D., takes time out of his schedule at the Pittsburgh VA to conduct an eye assessment for veteran Emmett Mayo of Pennsylvania.